Rooster City Wins Emerald Feature

Rooster City, second in three stakes races last season, battled to a half-length victory over Dixie Meister in Sunday's $20,000 optional claiming feature for older horses at Emerald Downs.

With Seth Martinez riding at 121 lbs., Rooster City ran one mile in 1:35 2/5 on a fast track and paid $4.40, $2.60, $2.40. Tim McCanna trains the winner for owner Victor Bahna Jr., of Kirkland, Wash.

Dixie Meister, a graded stakes winner on California, rallied to finish second under Inoel Beato at 120 lbs., and paid $5.20 and $3.60. It was an encouraging comeback for the 8-year-old Texas-bred gelding, whose last start was a sixth-place finish in the Budweiser-Emerald handicap on June 21, 2009.